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E. BOTJE. a APPARATUS FOR GATHERING STALKS, MORE ESPECIALLY SUGAR CANE.

, APPLICATION FILED AUG.22| I919. 1 ,3 1 7,542 Patented Sept. 30, 1919. 2 SHEET$SHEET I Invent-01' Efiofije,

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E. BOTJE. APPARATUS FOR GATHERING STALKS, MORE ESPECIALLY SUGAR CANE.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22. 9l9. 1.317.542.

2 SHEE1S-SHEET 2.

Inventor EBatje, JZWM AT/voz'ney a" t w J.

ELKO IBOTJE, 0F SOEBABAYA, JAVA, DUIGH EAST I'TNDIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 19-19.

Application filed August 22, 1919. Serial No. 319,207.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELKo Born, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Soerabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Gathering Stalks, More Especially Sugar-Cane, of which the following is aspecification.

For the mechanical gathering of sugar cane and other stalks it has been proposed to use a machine comprising two endless band conveyers mounted side by side on a carriage in such a manner that the shafts of each conveyer, which have a certain incline, are disposed in parallel relation in one common vertical plane. The operation of these machines is such that the stalks during the forward movement of the carriage are grasped between those parts of,the conveyers that'run closely side by side in the samedirection, whereby said stalks, if necessary after being cut off, are lifted with their lower ends to the level of the carriage floor, owing to the inclined position of the conveyers. In some instances the machine is also used for pulling the stalks out of the ground.

In known machines of this character the shafts of both conveyers have a fixed, relative position, that is to say, the distance between their coacting parts remains constant.

VVith this construction a constant and comparatively high pressure is brought to bear on the stalks all during their travel between the straight conveyer parts. This, however, is not necessary, as only for the pulling out of the stalks a comparatively high but momentary pressure is required; moreover, this continued pressure is undesirable as the stalks thus run the risk of being damaged.

The present invention has for its object to avoid the above disadvantageous features. It chiefly consists in that the shafts of each conveyer are supported in bearings of a common member mounted on two eccentrics rotatable about axes in parallel relation with those of the conveyer shafts. The eccentrics of each conveyer may be interconnected by a rod which is hinged to both, and whose length is adapted to be adjusted by means of a stretching screw. Further, the pivot of one of the eccentrics may have a bore-hole forming a bearing for the driving shaft.

In order to explain my said invention:

reference is had to the annexed drawing, in

which Figure l is a plan View of a machine, in which the sprocket wheels of the conveyers are omltted;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view onthe lineAA in Fig. 1';

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a position in which the coacting parts of the conveyers are disposed in parallel relation;

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a position in which the width of the space between the two coacting parts of the conveyers gradually increases from the front to the rear end.

On the floor 1 of a carriage are mounted two endless band conveyers each comprising two inclined beams 2, 3' having secured thereto castings 4, 5, 6 and 7, forming the bearings for inclined pivots 8, 9,10 and 11. Each of these pivots carries an eccentric disk 38,, 39, 40, 41, the centers of which are designated in Figs. '1, 3 and 4 by a, b, for the one, and by 0, cl, for the other conveyer.

Around the upper eccentric disks 38 and 40 of each conveyer is mounted a plate member 12, another plate member 13 being mounted around the lower disks 39, 41', the said members, which act as eccentric rings,

serving for guiding the planks or boards of.

the conveyers.

The members 12 and 13 of each conveyer are provided with bearings for two inclined shafts 14, 15 disposed in parallel relation with the pivots 8, 9, 10, 11. The shaft 14 is fast and carries sprocket wheels 16, 17 rotatably moimted on bushes thereon; the shaft 15 however is rotatable and secured thereto are sprocket wheels 18, 19. The sprocket wheels 16, 17 serve for guiding, and the wheels 18, 19 for driving the chains carrying the conveyer boards.

The pivots 10 and 11 have suitable boreholes forming bearings for a shaft 20 which is parallel with shafts 14, 15. Said shaft 20 carries a gear 21 meshing with a gear 22 on shaft 15. The shaft 20 is driven through miter wheels 23, 24 by a shaft 25 of a motor (not shown) mounted on the carriage 1.

The eccentric disks 38, 40, and the eccentric disks 39, 41 are interconnected by rods 26, 27 respectively, provided at both ends with eyes engaging studs on the said disks; the centers of said studs are designated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 by e and f for the one, and by g and h for the other conveyer. The length of the rods 26, 2? can be adjusted by means of stretching. screws 28",. 29.

' conveyers run in parallel relation at a slight If the eccentrics assume the position shown in Fig. 1, the coacting parts of the interdistance. If I now desire to increase this distance without disturbing the parallel relation between said parts, I turn the eccentric disks of both conveyers so that the studs 6, 7 and g, h are moved toward the plane passing through the axes ofthe corresponding-pivots 8,10; without changing the lengths of the rods 26, 27 (seecFig. 3). Owing to this displacement the members 12,

13, andconsequently the shafts 14, 1.5 of the one conveyer are caused to move to the.

required position relative to that of the vother conveyen; Evidently the same efiect may be realized by a-suitable rotation of the eccentric disks of only one conveyer.

For reducing the interdistance'of the con veyers I turn the eccentric disks in the re verse. direction. 1 1

If the eccentric disks 88, 89 of'each conveyer are secured in the position shown in Fig. l, and if the-lengths of the rods 26, 27 v are increased through equal distances by means of the stretching screws 28, 29, the

, in Fig. 4. If the parts assume the position shown inFigJ'et, and assuming both eccentrace of each conveyer to be turned without changing the lengths of the rods 26, 27,

the distance between the coacting parts may be increased or decreased without changing the angle formed between said parts.

' By changing the relative positionof both conveyers in the manner stated the pressure brought to bear upon the stalks may be gradually decreased as they are lifted, so that themachine may be adapted for gathering Gopies of this patent may be obtained for stalks of varying thickness and character, planted in soil of any nature; I Claims: 7

1. In a machine'of the type referred to,

two endless band conveyers mounted side by side on a carriage in such a manner that the axes of the inclined shafts of eacli con veyer are disposed in a common vertical plane, the said shafts being supoprted in bearings of a common member mounted on two eccentrics, which are rotatable about axes in parallel relation with those of the conveyer shafts. V

2. In a machine'of the type referred to,

two endless band conveyers mounted side byv side on a carriage, in such a manner that the axes of the 'inclinedshafts of each con veyer are disposed'in a common vertical plane, the said shafts being supoprted in bearings of. a common member mounted on. two eccentr1cs,.wh1ch are rotatable about axes in parallel relation with those of the conveyer shafts and which are: intercon{ nected by a rod pivotally coupled with both V and comprising means for adjusting its op-c erative length.

8. In a, machine of the type referred-to, two endless band conveyers mounted side by side on a carriage, in such a manner that the axes .of the inclined shafts of each conveyer are disposed in a common vertical plane, the said shafts being supoprted' in bearings of a common member mounted on two eccentrics which are rotatable about axes in parallel relation with those of the conveyer shafts and whlch are interconnected by a rod pivotally-coupled with both and comprising means for. adjusting its, op-

erative length, the pivot of one ofthe QCCQIlfi tries of each conveyer having a-bore hole a serving as hearing for a. driving shaft.

In testlmony whereof I aiiix my slgnature.

ELKO BOIJE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. V 

